Such a great topic, Riverrose. I had never heard of paper plates, paper towels, aluminum foil, Kleenex, disposable diapers (nappies) and many other like things, until I came to the US. We washed our clothes by hand and hung them outside to dry. We had a 'clothes horse', which was a wooden thingy we put around the fireplace, to hang the clothes on which didn't dry completely outside.
My parents owned a country grocery shop and a separate country post office. They were both in the same village. We lived behind and above, the grocery store. It was a huge house, built in the mid 1500's and right on the village square, opposite the church. We even had our own chapel on the property. We sold pretty much everything, including all grocery items, clothing, sewing needs, knitting wools, (everyone knitted in those days) kitchen utensils, gardening equipment and anything anyone would need, for miles and other villages around. We did not sell fresh meat. There was a butcher's shop in the village, who sold all fresh meats.
There was not nearly the number of items of each kind, one finds these days. We sold one kind of butter and one kind of margarine. A couple of different jams and marmalades, a couple of different detergents and of course, no fabric softener. There was Colman's Mustard Powder, which you mixed yourself and HP steak sauce and ketchup. A few spices were there, but not nearly the amount found these days. One brand of sugar and a couple of brands of tea and coffee. I remember we had about three kinds of breakfast cereals and also oatmeal. Cookies (biscuits) were kept in four barrels in front of the counter, with glass lids, so you could see what was in them. They would be taken out and weighed, according to what the customer wanted. There were lots of canned goods, as I remember. We did have a freezer, which held BirdsEye frozen veg. (Very modern in those days, for village shops) My father cured his own hams and bacon, in a strange medieval tower, in our back garden. He also kept his cheeses in the cellar of that place. We did have fresh veggies, like potatoes/onions etc. Customers would 'phone their orders in each day or week and my father would deliver them. Payment was expected on Friday evenings.
I never remember anyone, asking for something which we didn't have, except one time, when someone ordered a bicycle. My father drove to the city, procured the bike and the customer was happy. We had two employees. One who worked at the counter with my father and one who filled orders to be delivered. My mother ran the post office on the other side of the village square. She obviously sold stamps etc., and also cigarettes.
Everyone lived so simply. We didn't 'need' all this other stuff. We worked hard and were happy with our lives. If I look in my refrigerator and pantry now and think back, I should be embarrassed, and I don't even buy a lot of stuff, people have today. We do recycle and I don't use paper plates. We do purchase everything used at garage sales, CraigsList, Ebay, flea markets or thrift shops, if we need something. That includes all clothing except underwear. I'll bet I haven't bought any new clothing, for at least 35 years, but I have some wonderful clothes.
We are about to move and downsize. Downsize an enormous amount. But we need at our age, to be closer to my daughter, who owns Harlequin Farms. It has been difficult to know that much of my treasured antique furniture, which I brought from England, almost 40 years ago, will have to be sold. Much of it, will go to my daughter, so I know it will stay in the family, but it is still difficult to say goodbye, to some things. I have to keep telling myself, that I really don't 'need' it. And I suppose, that is what sums it up for many of us. Do we truly 'need' all the stuff we buy and have around us? Could we do with less and still make it through life? I'm probably older than most of our members here, but am still learning that lesson.
Lizzie
